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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: gortonboy on Monday 09 November 09 21:26 GMT (UK)
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Hi,,I was recently on e-bay looking for a cap badge from my grandads regiment,when i came across various medals for sale. I was a little sad to see that these medals had the names and regiment numbers on them,,and were obviously being sold by people with no family connection. Ah well..thats life. I then realised that i had a similar medal ,,but had not realised that there was a name and number around the edge.I hadnt paid the medal much attention,as it was a ww1 medal,and i had no-one i knew of who had served in this war,,plus it is a little damaged. However,i knew it was part of some odds and ends belonging to my grandfather,,so i rushed upstairs armed with my magnifying glass to see what name would be revealed. Alas,the name is unknown to me,,therefore i would like to try and return it to the family.Ihave done a little research,and have found him in the censuses. So i will post the details in the folorn hope that someone,someday lays claim to it.
Thomas Grailey b 1888 born Warrington..married to a Sarah Ann,,b 1889,,had a son John b 1911.I have him in the 1911 and 1891 census,,but cannot find him in 1901. His Grandfather is Michael Welsh b 1835 Galway,Ireland,,,grandmother Ann Welsh b 1833 Westmone,Ireland.Mother is a Mary Grailey b 1859 Warrington....cannot find a marriage to find the father,,he is not listed in the 1891
Thomas Grailey = Private =Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
army number 4238
the medal is the ww1 British war medal.
I have looked at the medal card listing,and that gave another number 241942
if anyone has access to Ancestry and could see if his service record survives that would be great.
Thank you all.
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hi,,Thomas Grailey married Sarah Ann Hindle in Dec 1907 Bolton.
probable children
James b 1913
Thomas b 1915
Mary b 1917
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i think i have him in 1901 now,,,mistrancribed as gealy !!!!
his father is a John GRAILEY/GREALY/?? b 1861 b warrington.
possible marriage for his father
john grealy
mary doherty may1886 warrington.
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Hi,,I was recently on e-bay looking for a cap badge from my grandads regiment,when i came across various medals for sale. I was a little sad to see that these medals had the names and regiment numbers on them,and were obviously being sold by people with no family connection. Ah well..thats life.
True, but if you pause to consider for a moment they were all initially sold by the family (or the recipient themselves), otherwise they wouldn't be on the open market at all.
I'm not trying to knock your idea of returning it, but sometimes family members simply aren't interested.
I was helping a friend's family with a house clearance a couple of years ago, and they came across some WW1 medals to a relative. I had to try hard before I persuaded them not to throw them in the bin! :-[
If you can't trace family, you could always offer it to the regimental museum.
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hi,,i appreciate your point. All i know is,,that if it had been my families medal i had seen on e-bay,,i would pay whatever it took to get it back. I know it is a forlorn hope that someone is out there wishing they had their great grandads medal,,,but,,,if they are,,,they can have it with pleasure.
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Hi Gorton Boy
Thomas medal card is on Ancestry and reads:
Grailey Thomas
York R Pte 27394
Victory 0/1/101.B14 page 1174
British do. do.
CWB Ref 0/173
remarks Disc.
no correspondence
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i belive in order to earn the Victory Star they had to serve prior to or in 1915 - although i am not an expert :)
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hi ,,thanks toni,,although i have seen the medal card ref on the NA site,,,and he is def loyal north lancs and his numbers are as in my first post...thanks for looking. ;D
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True, but if you pause to consider for a moment they were all initially sold by the family (or the recipient themselves), otherwise they wouldn't be on the open market at all.
I, for one, would be delighted if my grandfather's medals turned up. I think my grandmother probably gave them to a male neighbour since she had only granddaughters herself. I doubt very much if they are being cherished by the next generation, though I could be wrong. It can be one person making the decision to sell the medals and that does not mean that no-one in the family wants them!
So I think it is wonderful of Gortonboy to make the effort!
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I'm lookin' Gortonboy .... but I'm also passing the word around ! :)
Thank you for doing this ..... especially this week !
Annie :)
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It is always possible of course that the medals initially came onto the market as a result of theft, and I believe it is very important to make the effort to get them to their rightful owner.
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I can only say that the medal was part of a collection of various items belonging to my grandfather,,who died 15 years ago. I have no idea how he came into possion of it. He collected a few souvenirs of his service in ww2,cap badges,his own medals,etc. The medal is as i said damaged,,it is missing the attachment that the ribbon would be attached to,,,and has a had a hole drilled in it,,,as if someone had worn it on a chain.I have sent an e-mail to a local Bolton newspaper,,,maybe something will come of that.
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Update,,,,,,,,,,,,,a descendant has been found,,,and the medal will shortly be returning to the family,,,,only took 4 years !!!! ;D
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Good news! :)
Were they delighted?
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They were indeed...and surprised. :)
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A happy ending. I am so glad. Sandra
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Well done ! A wonderful result I'm so pleased for you. I find it heartbreaking to see medals and photos in shops , hence so happy for a heartwarming result. Kindest regards and a very Happy New Year Sue
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Hi, I've just found this thread, I think what you have done gortonboy is absolutely fantastic, I think there will always be medals for sale etc, because sometimes events dictated what happened to them,
My OH's grandfather served in the first world war and was awarded the Military Medal, this was something no one was aware of until I started researching the family history, he died in 1932 at the age of 34 leaving a wife with 3 young children who had to leave the cottage on the farm where he worked, so, no home , no income, it seems logical that she probably had to sell the medal to help make ends meet.
My wife has absolutely nothing to remember him by, not even a photograph, trust me if any medal of his came to light I would move heaven and earth to get hold of it.
Like I have said , what you have done is fantastic.
Regards always,
Frank.
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Brilliant; very well done
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I read this thread with interest, 3 weeks ago I was looking at a WW1 trio belonging to someone with an unusual name. So I went on to Ancestry and looked under Public Trees and sure enough this soldier was there. To cut a long story short I contacted the tree owner and let him know this trio was for sale and, that shoud he be interested to contact me for details. He did contact me and I told him the info and that if he was interested in Purchasing them I wouldn't bid against him. He has been in touch to say he now has the medals and he is delighted they are back with the family. So don't give up anyone looking for family medals if they are out there they may one day find there way back !!
Rycroft
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I would love to be reunited with 'The Dead Man's Penny' that went missing from my mother's house. I do have a constant search on ebay but if anyone sees one awarded to Frederick Tagg for sale I would like to know!
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meant to post this,,but forgot. ::)
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I've just stumbled upon this thread whilst browsing.
Wonderful result gortonboy, and the photo is the icing on the cake. You both look so happy! Well done - your persistence has paid off. ;D
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fantastic result,well done ;D